


How it starts

by Chiaki_Hamano



Category: Gravity Falls
Genre: Character Death, Dark, Death, Depressing, Gen, It's tough to describe it, Madness, Mental Illness, Suicide, Super duper dark, You just have to experience it for yourself, You just have to read it I guess, twist - Freeform
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-04-14
Updated: 2015-04-17
Packaged: 2018-03-22 22:42:51
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Major Character Death
Chapters: 4
Words: 4,287
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/3746317
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Chiaki_Hamano/pseuds/Chiaki_Hamano
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>“Question Mark, who’s dead?” </p><p>"Dipper."</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. It’s raining sea water

**Author's Note:**

  * For [Taurine (Elentori)](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Elentori/gifts), [Weebieneko](https://archiveofourown.org/gifts?recipient=Weebieneko), [Bipperyay](https://archiveofourown.org/gifts?recipient=Bipperyay), [PaperbirdDipper](https://archiveofourown.org/gifts?recipient=PaperbirdDipper).



> It's a short series of one-shots that I posted on tumblr. Now I decide to post here. I hope you guys enjoy it. Don't worry, I have finished it so I won't let you guys wait. BUT!!! For dramatic purpose, I won't post everything at once. So just bear it with me.

  


 

* * *

 

It was a pretty standard day in Gravity Falls, Oregon. The sky was blue, the birds were singing and the sun was shining brightly. It was a beautiful summer day...

“Hey there, Shooting Star~ Whatcha doin’~?” Bill appeared in Mabel’s room, still his glorious yellowish self. Normally, he would go visit Pine Tree first. But for some reasons, today he wanted to mess with the girl. One could never drop their guard for too long after all~

He tap-danced around the girl, trying to get a reaction out of the normally bright, happy girl. Today though, he only received cold shoulder. “Hey! What’s wrong with you meatsack? Normally, you are all lively and dancing and boys.” He said, poking her with the cane.

“G-Get away from me!” Mabel suddenly looked up from her curled up position on the bed, her eyes were filled with tears and her expression was a little wild. Bill looked taken back.

“What crawled up your ass and  _died_?” Bill asked, not happy that he was snapped at. He was a being of pure energy and no weakness! He was not going to be intimidated by a little girl.

“G-Go away!” Mabel broke down, causing the triangle demon to feel even more confused. He approached the girl carefully like she was a wild, hurt animal.

“Why are you crying?” He asked, his voice dropped a little bit of its usual obnoxiousness. He didn’t like seeing her cry. Not because he cared for her or anything. In his mind, he processed that this girl was a bright girl who never cried. So the fact that she was crying now messed that up. And Bill didn’t like it when things didn’t go according to plan.

“D-D-Dipper... H-H-He...” Mabel choked back a sob. Bill couldn’t suppress a frown. What was wrong with Pine Tree? He tried to force more information out of Shooting Star but it seemed she was too busy crying to answer him. What a drag. The demon decided to leave her alone after awhile, knowing that he would need to find out about this himself. He was all knowing anyway. How hard could it be for him to figure things out?

The demon floated downstairs to see a bunch of people gathering around.... a coffin? What? Bill crossed his tiny arms together in total confusion, tapping Question Mark’s shoulder. “Question Mark, who’s dead?” He asked smugly, wanting to rub salt into their wounds.

“...” Soos just looked at Bill, his expression was completely sober and he was dressing in a formal black suit. “Dipper.” He answered, shrugging Bill’s arm away and glared at him. “Look, dude, we are busy today so if you don’t mind please go away so we can properly mourn.” He said.

“W-Wait. What?!” Bill asked, his voice couldn’t hide his confusion.

“Aren’t you supposed to be all knowing?” Wendy asked, dark bags under her eyes as she glared at the demon. “Aren’t you supposed to be able to see the future?! What kind of sick game are you playing?” She asked hotly.

“It’s your fault, isn’t it, you bastard?!” Grunkle Stan growled, gripping Bill by his little bowtie and slammed him against the wall. It didn’t hurt Bill obviously, but it shocked him greatly.

“What is wrong with you meatsacks?! I have no idea what you are talking about! Pine Tree cannot be dead! He is needed for my plan!” Bill said, his eye scanned them to see if they were lying. They... they weren’t.

What the  ** _fuck_**?!

His Pine Tree could not be dead! He could not be dead! Pine Tree was his! After the plan was done, Bill would get the boy. He didn’t care if Pine Tree would need a collar around his neck to cooperate or not, he didn’t care if he had to break him. He had to have him! Death could not get his hand on his prize first!

In rage, Bill pushed everyone aside and came to the coffin.

“NO! STOP IT!” Stan tried to stop him but it was too late. Bill had already flipped the lid of the coffin open and stared at the mangled body inside. The noise that escaped the demon wasn’t quite...  _human_.

“ **!!!!!!!!!!!!!** ” Bill let out a shriek of fury, slamming his fists down on the wooden coffin. It cracked under the pressure.

“What do you think you ARE DOING?! GET AWAY FROM MY GRANDNEPHEW’S BODY, YOU SICK MONSTER!” Stan screamed, trying to punch Bill who, with a mere flick of his wrist, pushed everyone back to the wall with a painful  ** _THUD_**.

Bill gripped Dipper by his shirt collar and began to shake him. “Wake up! WAKE UP! You are not allowed to sleep!  _ **WAKE UP**!_ ” Bill screamed. “I need you for my plan! I DEMAND you to wake up now! The game is over!” Bill said, his whole body glowed red as his anger grew like hell fire.

Dipper couldn’t answer Bill’s demand though, his body had long got cold. He was pale and there seemed to be a pained expression on his face, permanently staying like that.

Bill dropped Dipper’s body like the coldness of the touch burnt his hands. The corpse fell back down inside the coffin. Bill felt his whole body go numb with disbelief and anger. The others three were screaming something, spitting curses at him... He couldn’t hear a single word.

“What are you doing?!” A younger voice shrieked and Bill turned around to spot Mabel, tear tracks visible on her cheeks. She was furious by Bill’s blatant disrespect to Dipper’s body.

“Who did this to him?” Bill asked in a low, icy voice. When there was no answer, Bill immediately gripped Mabel’s collar and shook her. “I ASKED. WHO. DID. THIS. TO. HIM?” He emphasized on each word with a shake, fully intend to get a revenge.

“Dipper himself!” Mabel finally said, her voice cracked.

Bill dropped the girl.

“What?”

It was Bill’s only question, his arms hung at his sides. “It’s _**your**  _fault! Ever since that possession, Dipper only grew more and more paranoid. He couldn’t sleep and he developed depression!” Mabel choked. “He was miserable. He couldn’t sleep. He kept thinking everything happening around us was because of you. He saw you everywhere. But we didn’t see you. He was going crazy because of you! He wasn’t stable anymore! And-And... And... One night... He just...” Mabel shook her head, unable to continue the story any longer.

Bill’s mind was reeling at this point of the conversation...

Oh my god..

Bill remembered now. Dipper wasn’t going crazy... What he saw was right. Bill  _was_ messing with his mind... Apparently, it had gotten too much for Dipper and he had... chosen a dramatic way to end the game. Oh no... It was Bill’s fault.

His

_**fault**._

It was his fault that Pine Tree died.

It was his fault that Dipper Pines committed suicide at this tender age.

It was  _all_ Bill’s fault...

The demon suddenly got really quiet and he floated out, not even bothered replying to the silent question in the air.

He felt his strength leave him and for the first time in a long while, Bill’s feet touched the ground. He didn’t even feel the rough texture of the earth, his inside felt empty...

Slowly, a small tear rolled down from his single eye.

_Dipper..._

“Mister? Are you crying? Why are you so sad? Why are you a triangle?” A young voice asked. It was just a passing by child with his mother. The mother immediately shushed him, not wanting to be rude. “Let’s go.” She said, pulling him away from the weird triangle thing.

“I’m not crying... It’s raining...” Bill said dryly, looking up at the high blue sky.

Yeah, it’s raining. It’s raining sea salty water.

“ _I’m sorry._ ”

  


 


	2. Chapter 2

* * *

 

“Eenie, meenie, minie. YOU.” Bill said, plucking a belladonna fruit. He looked at the ingredients in his hands, nodding, feeling pleased. There was no way he could fail this. Bill did a little dance of happiness to celebrate.

“It’s not going to work, Bill.” Dipper said, crossing his arms. He was standing next to Bill, staring at the man with a scowl on his face.

Bill huffed. “Of course it would, Pine Tree. Don’t be stupid.” He said, pushing the noodle boy aside. “Just step aside and let the master work his magic.” He said. He came to the clearing. The full moon was shining above them.

“It’s not natural, Bill. You are going to cause big trouble.” Dipper chimed in helpfully. “You are not that powerful, Bill. You are going to fail and you are going to regret it.” He said seriously.

Bill resisted the urge to throttle the stupid tiny human. “I told you it would _work_! Now shut up before I kill you!” He growled.

Dipper smiled sweetly. “Don’t you remember? I’m already dead.” He said softly, a small victorious smile stretched across his lips as he watched Bill freeze.

“What-Whatever, Pine Tree.” The demon said. He laid down the ingredients down. Belladonna, candles, a sacrifice animal, his own blood. Bill dipped a finger into the bowl of blood and began to draw a circle on the ground.

“Bill...” Dipper said in a warning voice. “It’s going to end in disaster.” He said seriously.

“Shut up and go away, Pine Tree. You know nothing of my power.” Bill said, finishing the circles and knelt down in front of a decomposing body. He couldn’t smell. And even if he could, he wasn’t bothered by it. The sight of the body didn’t even bother him. He gently placed a hat with a pine tree on the dead body’s head. “You lost it, kid.” He said softly.

“You are making a mistake, Bill.” Dipper said quietly. “Please stop it before it’s too late.” He said, actually reaching out to touch Bill’s arm gently.

Bill jerked away like he had been burnt. “Don’t tell me what to do!” He said, shushing the boy and began to chant an ancient spell.

“ ** _BՐɿՈ૭ Һɿɱ ੮૦ ՆɿԲ૯_!!!!** ”

He finally ended the chanting. Smoke started filling up the surrounding and Dipper’s figure faded away. Bill spotted something moving between the smoke. “YES! YES! YES I HAVE SUCCEEDED!” He cried, laughing happily.

“W-What is going on here...?”

A voice whispered behind Bill and Bill turned his head back, looking surprised. He didn’t even notice someone coming up behind him. It was Mabel. What was she doing out here in the middle of the night? Forget it. Maybe it was because he talked too loud or something.

“Witness... The rebirth of Pine Tree! See how powerful I am!” Bill laughed maniacally, and Mabel’s jaw dropped. She rubbed the sleepiness away from her eyes.

“...Bi...l...l.... M...a...b...e...l....” A voice whispered in pain and a...  _thing_  crawled toward the pair, earning a fearful shriek from Mabel. It couldn’t be considered human!

It was bleeding. A lot of blood! And it was saying something. Mabel couldn’t hear. She was too busy staring in complete horror at the thing that was supposed to be her brother...

“Bill... What have you _done_...?!” Mabel cried, watching as the thing curled up in pain.

“Bill.... told ya... Would fail...” The monster said in pain and before their very eyes, its form began to contort before blood oozed out from its mouth.

Then it exploded.

Bill stared in utter shock and horror as blood splattered all over his body. He raised a shaky hand up to touch his bloody face.

“Pine Tree... I just want to fix my mistake...” He whispered, his voice cracked. “Come back to life, please... Come back to me...” He whispered, his voice was lifeless and broken.

Bill did something he hadn’t done in a long while now.

He wept.

Tears rolled down from his eye, unashamed as he began to weep. “Please come back to life. Please I’m sorry. It was supposed to be a joke. You weren’t supposed to die...” He cried, his form shook with each sound.

Mabel just fell on her knees, her eyes widened in shock.

Tears fell down the ground.

She looked up at Bill’s form who was still crying and trying to apologize to Dipper uselessly.

_When a monster wept_

_He became more human and less beastly._

**\- THE END -**

* * *

 

** **


	3. A human's limit

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Everyone has a limit and no one should ever cross that line.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> New chapter, guys. Please read and review. It brings me joy to know that my story can create such strong emotions :D Please enjoy this one as well :D Thank you for reading this.
> 
> Chiaki

* * *

 

Dipper jumped when he heard a small noise, looking around warily. He shivered and hurriedly washed his hands, his eyes darted back and forth like a scared animal. He turned to the mirror. Bill was staring back at him. He waved his hand.

Dipper screamed.

“Dipper! What happened?!” Mabel rushed in, her grappling hook at her side. She looked like she was ready to fight off a monster to protect her brother.

“B-Bill! In there! I saw him!” Dipper said shakily, pointing toward the mirror. Mabel frowned and peered in. There was nothing there. Only her reflection staring back at her.

“Dipper... There’s no one there. Look for yourself.” She said, helping her brother sit up. Dipper groaned softly and rubbed his side. He looked at the mirror warily.

There was indeed, no one there.

“I’m going crazy, Mabel...” He whispered, cradling his head. “I saw him everywhere. I can’t sleep and I think I’m hearing voices, too...” He whispered, hugging his sister tightly.

Mabel’s eyes softened and she returned the hug. “You just need some good sleep, that’s all. Then everything will get better.” She soothed, rubbing the poor boy’s back.

Dipper frowned. “I don’t want to sleep! I will just see him and... and I will see that horrible scene of me making a deal with him again! I have enough of nightmares, Mabel!” He said, his voice cracked with emotions.

“Calm down... How about you sleep with me tonight? If he comes find you, I will punch him in the face.” Mabel said confidently with a bright smile. “I will protect you, bro bro.” She said.

Dipper smiled weakly. “Yeah.” He said, apparently unconvinced. “I think... I think I’m okay now....” Dipper said, turning the tap off.

“Are you sure, bro bro?” Mabel asked worriedly and Dipper gave her a shaky nod.

“Yeah. I’m fine.” He said.

“I will just stay right outside then. If you need me, then you can call me.” Mabel said and patted Dipper’s back. “We can get through this together. You are strong. You are my twin.” She smiled.

Dipper closed the door for her and then went to grab the towel right next to the mirror. He froze. Bill was in the mirror again, waving at him. “He’s not real. He’s not real. He’s not real.” Dipper muttered, his hands shook as he tried to wipe his face.

‘ _Hey, Pine Tree~_ ’ A voice whispered next to his ear and Dipper took everything he had not to scream again, running out of the bathroom, stumbling before he reached the door. He yanked it open and ran out. Dipper slid down the wall, breathing heavily.

“Dipper... What’s wrong? Did you see him again?” Mabel asked, indeed waiting for Dipper outside. She pulled him into another hug. Dipper didn’t say anything but from the look on his face, Mabel knew. He saw him again. Poor Dipper. It wasn’t as if she didn’t trust him... But Bill probably had better things to do than terrorized a 12 year old boy, right? 

Just to be on the safe side though, she did take a look. Yeah, no one was there. She helped Dipper up. “Let’s get some sleep. I promise you will feel much better in the morning.” She said and tucked the blanket around him.

“Y-You know what... Maybe I shouldn’t sleep... he can get into my dreams...” He whispered, rubbing the dark bags under his eyes.

“Just. Sleep, Dip. You will be fine.” Mabel insisted, watching as her brother struggled to stay awake but then he immediately fell asleep the moment he closed his eyes. He had stayed up for too long. Maybe that was why he started seeing things.

Things didn’t just stop there.

It slowly got worse. And worse. And _worse._

* * *

 

“Dipper...?” Mabel whispered softly into the dark room, a small figure was curling in a corner, rocking back and forth. “Dipper, it’s me, Mabel.” Mabel said patiently.

“M-Mabel? C-Close the door. He will see me.” Dipper said, and Mabel merely sighed but she closed the door behind her.

Dipper didn’t even look like himself anymore. The bags under his eyes were so dark people thought he used ink to draw them on. He had also lost a lot of weight and his eyes always had a wild look now, afraid that Bill would jump out of some random corner and kill him.

“I brought food.” Mabel whispered, handing Dipper the broth and the boy took the bowl meekly, glancing around before he took a small sip.

“Tastes like water.” Dipper said, placing the bowl down. “I’m full.” He whispered, pulling the blanket around him tightly, his face got white with fright when he heard a small sound and Dipper crawled under the bed, shaking in terror.

“He’s here. He’s going to kill me. Get out. Get out now.” He said, his voice dropped down to barely above a whisper as he tried to curl into a small ball.

“Bro bro... No one is here. No one is here to kill you...” Mabel said, trying to reach out for Dipper. “Please come out. I will protect you.” She pleaded.

Dipper stubbornly shook his head. “N-No.” He said, crying softly. He was so scared. He didn’t want to be haunted by this stupid triangle anymore. He didn’t want this game to continue. He was so tired and scared all the time now.

“Please, bro bro.”

“No...”

“Pretty please...”

“Go away...”

And for the first time ever since Dipper became like this, Mabel lost her patience. “Oh come on! Please just stop it! No one is here! Bill is not going to come and kill you! You know it’s just your mind messing with you! Please just come out!” She said and Dipper flinched.

The girl wiped her eyes. “I just want my brother to be back...” She said and turned away, letting out a small sob. She closed the door and ran down the steps, leaving Dipper alone.

Dipper cried silently in the dark. Was he really that terrible? Was he such a coward? He didn’t ask to be like this. He didn’t ask to be this scared all the time. It killed him, too. He just wanted to be back to normal. But he honestly saw Bill everywhere.

‘ _Pine Tree~ Come play a game~_ ’

There it started again! Bill’s voice whispering and his form just at the corner of Dipper’s vision. When he turned around, no one would be here. Maybe he really was crazy... 

‘ _Why are you actin’ so cray cray?_ ’

Dipper choked back a sound. He was so sick of this game. He gave up. Bill won. Dipper gave up. He lost...

The boy slowly crawled out from under the bed and slid the window open, staring down at the ground beneath him.

“You won.”

Dipper whispered. “Race you downstairs...” He mumbled softly and let himself fall. Fall deep into his depression and fall deep into the endless pit of destruction and darkness without light.

 _Everyone has a limit and no one should ever cross that line._  

**Not even a demon.**

* * *

 

Morning came, Mabel was the one opening the shop. She took a look outside and spotted something. Mabel curiously came closer.

_She screamed._

 

_ _


	4. When insanity consumes you

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> If you stare into the abyss, the abyss stares back at you

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This might or might not be the last one-shot of this series. I may consider doing more. Please review, guys. It means the world to me. At least tell me if I should continue this or not :) I treasure your compliments and I read all your criticism.

* * *

 

Mabel was growing increasingly worried for Bill. She wasn’t happy by the fact that he was the one who directly (or indirectly) killed her twin brother. In fact, she downright hated him at this point... But the thing was... She had to keep a close eye on him. It wasn’t for some noble reasons, either. She was just afraid, with this unstable kind of mind, Bill would go off to do something dangerous.

Like trying to resurrect her dead brother again.

“Bill, let’s go.” Mabel grunted, tugging on the rope that tied between her hand and his hand.

“It was my fault... I’m sorry...” Bill cried, wiping his eyes. He looked sad... pathetic almost, with his body turning slowly to a shade of blue instead of his bright cheerful yellow.

‘ _Bill... One day... You will pay for what you did to me..._ ’ A voice said and Bill’s head jerked up, his hat on the verge of falling.

“Pine tree? PINE TREE? Is that you?” The demon called, looking around frantically, his hand tugged on the rope.

Mabel turned back. “Bill... There’s no one here.” She said, sighing softly... She was a girl with a lot of patience, but even so, her patience was wearing thin with this Bill. She knew Bill as an evil figure, a deal with endless tricks, always looking for a way to get into someone’s mind... Not... Not _this_. This Bill was just sad, pathetic and unstable... He was so different from what she knew.

“He’s  _here_! He’s talking to me!” Bill protested, trying to look like his normal self but he failed. “Pine tree. Come out. I know you are there.” He said.

No one replied.

“Not another one...” Mabel whispered. She had had enough with her brother’s constant illusion about Bill creepily watching him. Now Bill had gone crazy exactly like that, too?

‘ _I told you that you would pay_.’ Dipper’s voice rang in Bill’s ear. ‘ _The price that you have to pay is your **sanity**_.’

Bill swore his heart froze at that moment. As well as his entire body. And his ability to process things. Right then, he felt a cold hand on his body. “PINE TREE!” Bill whipped his head back. Once again, there was no one around.

What Bill received was the curious looks of bystanders, and whispers. They believed he was crazy. And at this point, Bill wasn’t so sure that they were wrong.

“Bill, we have to go.” Mabel said, tugging on the rope and pulled him back to the Mystery Shack.

“How’s the trip, kid?” Stan asked, pretending that Bill did not exist. Mabel sighed.

“Terrible... Bill... He’s crazier than yesterday.” She said softly, glancing at the blue triangle demon who had broken down in tears again. She didn’t know what to do at this point. She didn’t even have enough time to process the death of her brother when things happened. As of now, she couldn’t even understand the concept of her brother’s death. Everything seemed like a horrible nightmare.

Stan sighed. “Just lock him up somewhere where the customers can’t see him then. We will deal with him later.” He said and Mabel sent Bill a guilty look. The demon didn’t even seem to acknowledge the conversation.

“Let’s go, Bill.” Mabel said softly and pulled Bill to her and Dipper’s shared bedroom. “Stay here. Don’t do anything stupid.” She said. “I expect you to be here when I get back.” She said before she left

Bill wanted to cry again. Of course this would be the room she led him to!

‘ _Well, well, well, it seems it’s just going to be you and me now_.’ Dipper’s voice floated up again, lurking in the corners. Bill shuddered. 

“You are not real! You are dead!” Bill cried out, holding his hands to cover his ears.

‘ _Yeah, I’m dead. And whose fault was it? I remember crying out ‘you are not real’, too. Ah, good time._ ’ Imagined Dipper said, and Bill clenched his fists.

“YOU ARE NOT REAL!” He said loudly.

‘ _I may be real. I may not. But you, my friend, are crazy~~_ ’ Dipper’s voice taunted just as Mabel ran upstairs to open the door.

“What happened? Why did you scream?” She asked. Bill shook his head, not speaking a word. Maybe this was a trick of the mind, too. He just remembered Pine Tree too much That was why he was seeing all these things.

Mabel gave up after some time and Bill was left alone in the dark again.

‘ _You know one way to see me again~_ ’ Dipper’s voice whispered in Bill’s ear. ‘Maybe it will ease up some of your guilt~’ The voice purred. 

“Pine Tree... you don’t mean...” Bill said, horror dripped to his voice.

‘Oh you know what I mean~’

“N-No. I don’t want to... I don’t want to do that!” Bill said.

 _‘ **Do it.**_ ’

Bill clenched his fists. He didn’t want to do it though. It was so scary... But the voice said he needed to do it.

Bill pulled out his cane and started writing symbols on the floor.

‘Do it. Do it.  _Do it_.  ** _Do it_**.  _ **Do it**._ ’ The voice chanted in his mind and Bill closed his eyes, activating the portal and stepped through.

“Sorry for leaving you like this, Shooting Star.” He whispered. “But I need to go.”

* * *

 

“ _Triangulum, entangulum. Meteforis dominus ventium. Meteforis venetisarium!"_   

Bill opened his eye as he teared up. Pine Tree!

“Pine Tree!!!!” Bill cried but a foot on his body stopped him from moving.

“It’s Master to you, demon. Hey, what’s up, you little shit, I’m Tyrone Gleeful but people call me Dipper and this is your new Mistress, Mabel Gleeful. You had better serve us _right_. _Or else._ ” Dipper said cruelly, his cold eyes dragged over Bill’s body and his lips curled up into a sneer. 

 _Pathetic_.

A voice whispered in Bill’s head. ‘ _Told ya this is the only way for you to repay your crime. Suck it up. You are now their servant~_ ’

Bill’s eye filled with tears and they slowly fell... He had to endure this... To repay for his sin.

_‘I’m sorry, Pine tree... I truly am...’_

**\- THE END -**

** **

**Bill by[Elentori](http://www.elentori.tumblr.com/)**

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> If you guys want to check out my tumblr, it's chiakihamano95.tumblr.com 
> 
> Thank you for reading this :)


End file.
